Walmart, food companies look to fight hunger

Walmart has teamed up with Feeding America, Action for Healthy Kids, and four of the country’s largest food companies, for a campaign to fight hunger this spring at stores nationwide.

At a launching event held on April in Nashville, Tenn., the company announced the project that will donate 42 million meals to Feeding America food banks and Action for Healthy Kids.

In-store signs will direct customers to participating products, including those from General Mills, ConAgra Foods, Kraft Foods and Kellogg Co., and on-package labels will advise how to generate meals by entering product codes online, sharing a Twitter hash tag or scanning a QR code. Customers also can visit Walmart’s Facebook page to vote for one of 200 communities hardest hit by unemployment, including the Providence-Warwick area. The Community with the most votes will receive $1 million. The next 20 communities will receive $50,000 each.

“No one in America should go hungry and we are proud to partner with Walmart in this effort,” said Vicki Escarra, president and CEO of Feeding America, in a statement. “Through this program, Walmart and its partners are making a powerful impact that will not only address hunger this spring, but will have a last effect on the issue of hunger in America.”

Get the most up-to-date data on the Rhode Island and southern Massachusetts business community from the PBN List Center. Download and purchase PBN Lists as well as the complete Book of Lists in Excel format.